Forty-Eight Hours
by snapple79
Summary: Andy is given a weekend off while undercover. Will she go see Sam? How will he react? AU set pre-S4.
1. Chapter 1

This fic is 1000% McSwarek, but starts with an Andy/Nick scene (as friends) to setup the rest of the story. Just wanted to put that out there so no one thinks this is an Andy/Nick fic! When I came up with this idea, it was going to be a quick one-shot, but it had a mind of its own, so there will be two chapters. :)

Enjoy! And please let me know what you think with a review. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

* * *

**Forty-eight Hours **

"Want to head down to Niagara for the weekend? There's this this amazing bike trail I think you'd love," Nick suggested as he sat down at the table for breakfast.

Andy looked up from her bowl of cereal shocked. "What? Um, I mean...I thought…This is our weekend off, you know that right?"

"Yeah, I thought we'd get out of town, forget about...everything for a while," he responded.

"Oh...um." Andy bit her bottom lip not sure how to break the news. She thought they'd both been on the same page about being excited about what this weekend meant for them. "Blackstone's bringing me back to the city tonight. I thought...I figured you were, you were doing the same thing."

Nick dropped his fork, not really hungry anymore for the omelet he'd made. He'd been trying to convince Andy to try his stellar breakfast, but she always refused. "Yeah, no. Gail's in another country and...well, there's no one else for me to see. You're not afraid your head won't be back in the game when you return?"

"I guess we'll find out. But I can't pass this up. I need to…." Andy got up and put her bowl in the sink. Slowly turning around she leaned back against the counter. "It's already been three months. We don't know how much longer we'll be under. I need to see him if I have this chance."

"You're doing this so you can see Swarek? You've got to be kidding me Andy. He's not worth risking all this," Nick said.

"I'm not risking anything, Nick! We were given this opportunity. Blackstone's driving me home himself. I'm not sneaking away and risking our covers," she said angrily, trying not to let her voice rise as she didn't want the neighbors to hear.

"You said yourself you were over him, that he was your past. What happened to that Andy? He's not good enough for you," he threw back at her as he tossed his remaining breakfast in the trash, no longer hungry. "You deserve someone better."

"Stop it, Nick. You have no right to say that about Sam. I only agreed with you that day to get you to shut up. I don't know what you're trying to do, but I will never stop loving Sam and if I can spend 48 hours making up for leaving, I will." With that, she stormed into the bedroom and slammed the door. She just needed to get away from Nick for a while and in their small apartment, the bedroom with the crappy bed was the only place to retreat to.

That night after dinner, Andy followed Blackstone's instructions and took two buses before meeting him in a park. He drove her back to the city, dropping her off at a bus stop so she could finish the journey. He held out his hand, waiting for her to put her UC phone and ID in it. In return, he pulled something out of his pocket. "For this weekend only," he warned, handing over her cell phone and real ID. For 48 hours she was back to being Andy McNally.

"Thanks...for this," she told him as she got out of the car. She watched him drive off, before sitting on the bench to wait for the next bus. She knew exactly where her destination would be, and if she figured out the timing right, she'd be there in about half an hour. She thought about calling him while on her way, but this wasn't something to be done over the phone. Plus, he'd be less likely to reject her in person.

Andy walked up to Sam's apartment, taking note that his truck was gone and all the lights were off. She rang the doorbell anyway, just in case. When there was no answer, she discreetly picked the lock and let herself in. Her eyes grew accustomed to the dark quickly and she walked through the rooms one by one confirming he wasn't there. She dropped her duffle bag in his bedroom and headed to the kitchen.

Not knowing when Sam would be home, she grabbed a bottle of water from his fridge and sat down on the couch. She didn't know why she left all of the lights off; maybe it was a result of the stealthy undercover work she'd been doing. More than half an hour went by as she sat there in the dark sipping the water, and her eyelids were slowly becoming heavy.

She decided to lay down, close her eyes for just a second, while she waited. The instant her eyes closed, she was fast asleep.

An hour later Sam opened the door to his apartment after a long night at The Penny. Her scent invaded his senses immediately. He headed directly into his living room and under the glow cast by the moonlight saw her lying there on his couch. He was simultaneously pissed off that she'd had the nerve to just leave without a word three months ago and relieved that she was here now, alive and as beautiful as ever.

He wanted to wake her up and yell at her and tell her he loved her and kiss her until she was breathless. But even in the dark, he could tell she was exhausted. So, he padded over to the couch, pulled the blanket off the back of it and draped it gently over her. He didn't know what brought her here tonight - or how she got in, for that matter - but whatever it was could wait until morning.

Sam headed to his bedroom, stripped off his clothes and threw on some pajama bottoms before going straight to bed. He lay there for a while, staring at his ceiling and wondering what brought her here tonight. He wondered whether her undercover assignment was over or if she'd gotten into trouble and needed his help. He wondered why this was apparently the first place she'd come after leaving him without a goodbye three months earlier. Sleep finally took over, but it was restless as he tossed and turned.

Andy woke up startled and confused by her surroundings. She bolted upright, forgetting for a moment where she was. As her pounding heart slowed down, she remembered coming to Sam's, and apparently falling asleep while she waited for him. Knowing she hadn't been the one to pull the blanket on top of her, she assumed he'd come home and found her sleeping on his couch.

Needing to confirm her suspicions, she found herself making her way to his bedroom, stopping just outside the door. She knew she should go back to the couch, let him sleep and approach the conversation they needed to have in the morning. However, seeing him lying there, shirtless with the sheets tangled around his legs, she felt a familiar warmth course through her veins.

For once, she did something without thinking about it. She crossed the room quickly and put a knee on the bed with the intention of straddling him to wake him up. But the simple motion of the bed moving had Sam's reflexes kick in, grabbing Andy and rolling them over until she was trapped beneath him. As full consciousness came over him and he realized who was beneath him, he pushed out a breath and shook his head.

"Jesus, Andy."

"I'm sorry, you were just...I couldn't…" She stopped struggling to find the words and focused on the way Sam was staring down at her, and how he hadn't released her from his grasp yet. She felt her heart pounding as her eyes traveled from his eyes to his lips and back again.

Sam didn't know what he was doing. He should sit up, release her, so they could talk. Or at least go back to sleep...in separate rooms. Hell, he'd take the couch…with a pit stop at a cold shower first. But the moment he'd touched her, something surged through his body. Before he knew what he was doing he was lowering his lips to hers.

His hands shifted from pinning her arms down to caressing her body, and her now free hands returned the feelings he was creating in her. Her fingertips traced his body, reminding her of every curve, every muscle, every inch of him.

In minutes, their clothes were strewn across the room as they clung to each other like they were starved for food and the other was a feast. Their heads were clouded with the passion felt for each other, forgetting the pain and hurt each had buried deep inside.

The next morning, Sam woke up with a familiar weight on his chest. Prying his eyes open, he saw her chestnut hair tucked under his chin and her hand splayed across one side of his chest. God, how he wanted to wake up like this every morning for the rest of his life. Her time away had only proven that to him.

He slid his fingertips up and down her back as he stared up at the ceiling. He would never regret what they'd done last night, but jumping back into bed together when he didn't even know why she was here and before they had a chance to talk about anything, wasn't one of his finer moments. He didn't want her to think all she was to him was sex – always the most fantastic sex he'd ever have, but that wasn't all she was to him.

His hand stilled on her back as she started to stir. The moment she began to wake up, there was no mistaking where she was. She recognized the familiar arms wrapped around her, the warm body her own was tangled with. As she fell asleep sometime in the early hours of the morning, she'd thought it had been a dream, that she'd wake up back in the crappy undercover apartment. But as her fingers played with the hair on Sam's chest, she knew it was anything but a dream.

That also meant they'd skipped talking. They'd jumped right back into bed without thinking of anything but their desires. And that wasn't how she'd planned this reunion. She shifted so she could rest her head on her hand and look down at him. "Hey," she said with a sheepish grin.

"Sleep well?" he asked, his fingers playing with the ends of her hair that cascaded down her back.

She nodded, but the smile quickly dropped from her face. "I didn't...that wasn't what I came here for."

"Don't think you would've fallen asleep on my couch if you did," he teased.

She hung her head, trying to hide her face so he wouldn't see her blush, but his fingers nudged her chin, making her look at him. "You in trouble?" he asked, the tone of his voice turning serious.

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine. We're fine. The operation - "

"Is fine?" He grinned as he finished her sentence and she couldn't help the giggle that slipped out.

"Yeah. I'm not in any trouble, I promise," she told him.

"Okie dokie. Then I think we need some breakfast," he told her, shifting her to the side so he could sit up. As his hands moved across her body in the night, he hadn't missed how thin she'd gotten in the last few months and didn't like it. He knew the toll undercover could take, even just the stress of it could be harmful to the body.

She stared at him in awe as he got up and threw some sweats on, amazed at how relaxed he seemed about her showing up out of the blue after all this time. And, well, she wasn't immune to exactly what she was staring at. His naked body was a beauty; his tanned skin, the way his muscles moved, the perfect specimen of a man that he was. She wanted to forget about everything they needed to talk about and have him come back to bed and make love to her for the next two days.

"Why don't you grab a shower while I make us something to eat," he suggested, pulling her from her thoughts. Turning to face the bed, his heart stopped for a moment as he saw Andy lying there, wrapped in his sheets, her hair fanned out over his pillow. He had to get out of this room before he pounced on her again like he did the night before.

"Thanks. I'll make it quick," she replied.

"No rush, got all the time in the world."

And that, well, that wasn't entirely true. "Sam...wait." She sat up, holding the sheet around her as he turned and leaned against the door frame. She didn't know how to say this, so she decided to blurt it out. "I only have the weekend. Gotta be back Sunday night."

"Then we better make the most of it," he said without missing a beat. He pushed himself off the door frame before letting his lips curve into a small smile. "Check under the sink," he said, nodding toward the bathroom before heading down the hallway.

When she made her way to the bathroom with a change of clothes, Andy crouched down and opened the cabinet under the sink. Her eyes filled up when they locked onto a small box filled with the toiletries she had long ago left here - her body wash, shampoo, lotion, various hair clips and scrunchies, her toothbrush and some other miscellaneous items. He hadn't thrown any of it away.

* * *

Sam was putting their food on plates when Andy walked into the kitchen, hair still damp from the shower. "Perfect timing," she said as he pushed a mug of coffee into her hands.

"I'm familiar with how long it takes you to get ready in the morning," he said, tongue in his cheek to stop from grinning too widely.

She smiled back at him before taking a sip of coffee. She closed her eyes and let out a small sigh at how heavenly it was; just how she liked it.

"Have a seat," he told her.

Following instructions, she took a seat at the table as Sam placed a plate full of scrambled eggs – the only way to eat eggs, in her mind - bacon and toast in front of her. "Thanks. You didn't need to do all this."

"Yeah, well, I'm fresh out of your fruity sugary cereal, so a healthy breakfast is gonna have to do," he smirked.

"Ha." Taking her first bite, it was like heaven. She felt like she'd been starved from good food for the last three months. She wasn't a great cook and Nick wasn't much better - actually, he was worse, his food always came out rubbery or burnt and made her puke on more than one occasion - so they'd ordered a lot of takeout. "This is delicious. Thank you."

"Everything going okay?" he asked.

"We're making headway," she said, knowing she couldn't tell him details, but wanting - no needing - to share something with him. "It was slow at first, but it's picked up and they have us more involved. It's only a matter of time before we get everything we need."

"Good to hear. Sounds like it's going well," he said, not able to hide how proud he was.

She shrugged as she looked over at him. "I learned from the best."

"McNally…"

"It's true, Sam. I learned what I need to survive this from you." She thought back to late night conversations and cuddling on the couch when she'd pepper him with questions about his undercover work.

"Pretty sure you didn't learn about weekends away from me," he smirked, prompting her to spill what was going on.

"The guy in charge...he's different than Boyd. He said he likes to let his undercovers get a little time away, to refresh. So, he gave us the option to come home this weekend if we wanted," she explained.

"Different. Interesting approach." He couldn't help notice how she mentioned they were given a choice. She had chosen to come home, to come see him.

"Hope you don't mind me just showing up. Calling seemed...didn't feel right," she told him.

"It was a nice surprise," he said with sincerity. "How'd you get in?"

"Picked the lock." She gave him a sheepish look as she stuffed more breakfast into her mouth.

He shook his head; he should've known. All that boasting about being able to pick a lock by her 12th birthday. "So, uh, you had the option? Could've stayed under?" he asked.

"Mmhmm," she said, nodding. "Nick stayed. But I wanted...I had to see you."

"I'm glad you came." Eyes locked on each other, their mouths curved into matching smiles.

When they were finished with breakfast, she helped him load the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. "I'm gonna grab a shower," he told her when they were done. "Make yourself at home."

Andy took the time to call her dad, tell him she loved and missed him, and that she was okay. He understood why she had to take the assignment, even if he wasn't ecstatic about it. The conversation was brief - Tommy had never been much of a talker - but filled with love.

After calling her dad, Andy fidgeted nervously as she looked around Sam's living room. She'd always felt at home here, but her nerves about what lie ahead today were getting the best of her. She knew they had to have a serious talk before they went any further. She nervously folded the blanket she'd found draped over her the night before and placed it on the back of the couch. As she was smoothing it out, a book on the coffee table caught her eye.

Walking over and picking it up, she flipped through it and recognized it as the same book Traci had when she was studying for the detective's exam. Before she could process what it meant to find this book here, Sam's voice filled the room.

"I take the exam in two weeks," he said, joining her in the living room.

Startled, she nearly dropped the book as she looked over at him. "You...wow...congrats."

"You can say that if I pass," he said, taking the book from her and staring at it for a moment before tossing it down on the table.

"I'm sure you have nothing to worry about," she reassured him. "I didn't know you wanted this."

"I didn't. Frank asked me and I said yes. There's too much for just Nash to handle," he explained.

"Makes sense. I'll have to buy you a congratulatory drink when I get back," she said, immediately regretting bringing up drinks. She saw the look on Sam's face drop as he took a seat on the couch. "Sam…" She joined him, but sat at the other end of the couch. "I'm sorry."

"I sat there like an idiot until closing," he said, eyes looking anywhere but at Andy.

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "After everything you said, I didn't know what to think and before I could decide anything, Luke was inviting me onto his taskforce. And you...you broke my heart, Sam."

"Well, you got me back."

"What do you want me to say, Sam?" She stood up and began pacing the room. "I said I'm sorry, two words that have never left your mouth. You broke up with me in a parking lot in the rain when all I wanted to do was be there for you. You ignored me for six weeks. I was trying to move on without you in my life when you finally tell me you love me. What the hell was I supposed to do, Sam? What do you want me to say?"

"I was messed up after...after Jerry, so I pushed you away. And I _am_ sorry. I'm sorry I didn't use those words, that you didn't know how sorry I was. But I was, I am. I told you that I made a mistake, that I'd do anything to make it up to you, to make us work. _You _did not feel the same way. You left, without so much as a goodbye. You ran…again. What do you want _me _to do Andy?"

They were both standing now, but on opposite sides of the room staring each other down.

"I did feel the same way," she said softly. She walked over to the window and stared out, her eyes not really focusing on anything. "What do I want?" She repeated his question as she contemplated an answer. She turned around and crossed her arms over her chest. "I want us to stop keeping score. We've both run. We've both been stupid. We both made mistakes. But I love you, I've never stopped loving you." She took a couple of tentative steps toward him before stopping, scared he wouldn't return the feelings.

"I've missed you. I didn't want to, but I did," he said, taking several steps toward her. "I think about the future - kids, park on Sundays, real life. Something more. With you."

Staring into each other's eyes, there was a magnetic pull that brought them toward each other. Standing toe to toe, Andy licked her lips, trying to figure out what to say next. Sam didn't give her the chance though, his hand cupped the back of her head to bring her even closer until his lips covered hers. Her hands slid up his chest, gripping the material of his shirt gently as she deepened the kiss.

When he pulled back and rubbed his nose against hers, she smiled. She'd missed the smallest of gestures like that, that were truly and genuinely Sam.

"Would you have come? If the taskforce was out of the picture, would you have come?" he asked softly.

She gave a small shrug of her shoulders and dropped her hands to her sides. "I don't know. You left me so confused. It was weeks undercover before I think I understood where you were coming from. That night...I just don't know."

"Fair enough." He took a step back, not sure what this all meant. They'd aired out how they'd both had their heart broken, how they'd hurt each other, and he didn't know where to go from there.

"But now...we've both had time to grow and learn. And maybe we can make this work. I want to," she said, taking a step toward him and grabbing his hand. "I have no right to ask you to wait. I have no idea how long this operation is going to last. But I - "

"I'll wait." He circled his arms around her and brought her flush against him. "I'll be here when you're done."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss to his lips. When she pulled back, she rested her head on his shoulder. "I really am sorry."

Sam took a deep breath before pressing a kiss to her temple. "I am too, I'm sorry. And...I love you, I do."

"What do we do now?" she asked. "I only have 36 hours."

"We make the most of it," he said, stroking a hand down her hair as he held her close, something he'd longed to do for a while. "This is _your _day off. What do you want to do?"

She held onto him tight, like she never wanted to let him go. "Can we...would it be okay if we just watched a movie? I just want to spend the time with you."

An hour later they were halfway through a movie, some comedy they'd found on TV. They were both lying on the couch, Andy's back tucked against Sam's front as he absentmindedly drew patterns on her hip. Sam laughed loudly at some stupid joke the lead actor made and was surprised when Andy's laughter didn't fill the room with his.

"Don't think that was funny, McNally?" His question was answered with silence. He pushed himself up so he could see around to her face and smiled when he saw her eyes closed. He reached over to grab the remote off the coffee table, which woke her up. "Hey, sorry, go back to sleep. I'm just gonna shut the TV off."

"Mmm, I don't want to sleep," she said groggily.

"It's okay. I know how tiring undercover can be. It's okay to sleep," he told her.

Shaking off the last remnants of sleep, she shifted onto her back. Leaning up, she nipped at his chin. "Don't. Want. To. Sleep." To show him exactly what she wanted, she slid her hand down his chest to the buttons of his jeans. He stared at her with wide eyes as she slowly plucked each button open. He swallowed thickly when her fingers slid into his boxers and wrapped around him.

"Don't start something you're not prepared to finish," he said, his voice coming out rough, like he hadn't had water in days.

"Oh, I plan to finish." With her free hand she pulled his face down to hers so she could capture his lips with her own.

They had both _finished_ multiple times before they lay on their sides, tired and content, limbs tangled, blanket haphazardly thrown over them, staring into each other's eyes. Andy smiled and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "I'm happy."

"Well, after _that_ I hope you're happy," he teased.

"Shut up," she said, playfully smacking his arm. "Not that. I mean, well, yeah that was, you know...but that's not what I mean." Flustered, she buried her face in his shoulder.

"McNally. Andy." He cupped the side of her face and made her look at him. "Tell me. Tell me why you're happy."

She covered his hand that was still against her face. "This. You. Us. That we finally figured something out. Even if it's not perfect right now."

"I'm happy too." He pulled her toward him, languidly kissing her until they needed air. "It's never gonna be perfect, but...it's us."

She rested her head against the bicep of his arm that was stretched out beneath her and used it as a pillow. She drew shapes on his chest as the smile left her face. "I don't know how long I'm gonna be gone," she whispered.

He tucked her hair behind her ear, gently brushed it off her shoulder before his thumb began drawing circles on her skin. "I know," was what he finally replied with. He didn't have to like it, but he understood. She'd started this job and she was going to finish it. He wouldn't make her feel guilty about it, wouldn't beg her to stay. He'd support her the best way he could.

"Maybe I can ask for another weekend," she thought aloud.

"Don't risk your cover. I'd rather wait than you get made trying to see me," he said. They both knew 'getting made' also likely meant injury or death.

"I could buy a throwaway phone, call you on that. No one would know," she said, still thinking about how she could see or talk to him again.

"Hey, I'm gonna be here when you get back. I'm gonna wait. Don't you question that," he told her.

"I know," she said softly. "I wish we didn't have to...wait, that is. I'm gonna miss you."

"I'm gonna miss you too." He pressed his lips against hers and felt the tear that escaped her eye hit the skin where their lips were joined. He kissed it away as he shifted her underneath him. His hand moved slowly, feeling every curve and bump of her body. He made sweet, slow love to her to show just how much he was going to miss her.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for ALL the wonderful reviews, and favorites and follows. It really makes my day to see people are enjoying what I write. :) Here is the second and final part of this story. Also, just to be clear, Marlo doesn't exist in the world of this fic.

This chapter picks up immediately after chapter 1 ended.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

They finally made it off the couch after the sun had set. Not having eaten since breakfast, both were starving and Andy insisted she was okay with takeout, but Sam insisted on feeding her a home-cooked meal. She knew he was concerned about what undercover was doing to her, and she couldn't help but really look forward to home cooking.

Sam pulled a couple of steaks out of his fridge and began warming up the stove. He threw together a homemade sauce that was a classic of his as Andy sat on the counter sipping a beer.

"You sure I can't help?" she asked, her foot smacking his butt as he crossed the kitchen.

"Yup," he said popping the 'p' as he turned to face her. "Got it covered."

He started cooking the steaks and got a couple of sides - frozen mashed potatoes and green beans - ready to heat up in a little bit. Andy watched him rummage through his freezer and move around his kitchen getting what he needed.

"How have you been?" she asked. They'd talked about their relationship, but she still didn't know how he was dealing with the aftermath of Jerry's death all this time later.

He checked the steaks, which were cooking nicely, before walking over to her and standing between her parted legs. Palms flat on the counter on each side of her as he leaned in, he sighed and looked up at her. "Stable...if you can believe it. Had a lot of time to think about everything that happened in the last year."

She placed a hand on his cheek, thumb rubbing gently against his day old stubble. "You're really okay?"

He nodded, turned his face to press a kiss to her palm before facing her again. "I will be."

Her free hand came to the other side of his face and she pulled him to her. She kissed his lips lightly. "Would you tell me if you weren't?"

He ran his hands up and down her sides, coming to rest on her waist. "I'd try." She smiled, knowing that was a big step for him.

"You wanna stop by your condo anytime this weekend?" he asked, changing the subject.

She groaned, dropping her hands from his face. "I can't even imagine what a mess it is. All the food that's gone bad, the trash I didn't take out."

"It's not a mess." At her questioning look, he continued. "You never asked for your keys back. A week after you left, I cleaned out your fridge, took out the trash." He shrugged like it was nothing. "I know how it is, especially the first time when you're not thinking about all that stuff."

"You...you took out my trash?" Her brain was stuck on that as she was reminded of his speech before she left.

"_I'm gonna make you dinner. I'm gonna take out your garbage. I'm gonna walk your dog."_

"It was nothing," he told her. He stepped back and went back to work on dinner.

"It's not...it's not nothing. Thank you."

As Sam started cooking the mashed potatoes and green beans, he thought about how his actions in cleaning up her condo had really been selfish. When he realized that she'd gone under, he wanted to find a way to be close to her. Finding an excuse to be in her condo, around her things, feeling her presence, served that purpose.

Hearing his name, Sam glanced over at Andy, and by the amused look on her face, he knew she'd called his name a few times before he responded. "Sorry, what?"

Andy slid off the counter, smiling at him and wondering what had him lost in thought. "I said, I'm going to set the table, if that's okay with you. I wanna do _something_ to help."

"Yeah, yeah, thanks."

"Oh, and to answer your earlier question, no, I don't want to go by my condo," she said, pulling out plates and silverware. "Everything I want is right here."

When dinner was ready, they sat at the table with the lights low and enjoyed the meal. Andy moaned when the first delicious bite hit her mouth and she blushed feverishly out of embarrassment for her reaction. She just hadn't tasted food this good in a long time. They chatted easily and took their time, knowing they had no reason to rush.

Andy insisted she help Sam clean up, and once they were finished, they relaxed on the couch and watched TV for a while. Andy wanted so badly to feel normal, like this was any normal day off. She didn't want to think of the hours quickly counting down to when she had to leave Sam again.

When Sam eventually asked her if she wanted to go to bed, the look in his eye told her sleeping was the last thing on his mind. And, well, she was okay with that since it wasn't on her mind either.

After another round of showing each other just how much they loved one another, Andy lay on her back, her head on Sam's stomach as he ran his fingers through her hair. The sheets were haphazardly strewn across the bed, but managed to cover Sam up to the hip and Andy just barely from her chest to upper thigh. She took his free hand in hers and laced their fingers together, bringing his knuckles to her lips.

"What would you do? If you were given a weekend off. Would you come home?" she asked. She'd been wondering if this was some kind of a test from Blackstone; a test that maybe she failed. She was worried she was being selfish, wanting this weekend with Sam so badly.

"Well, back when I was undercover a lot, there wasn't anything, anyone, to come home to. So, probably not," he said, shaking his head. "But now? Hell yeah, I'd come home as much as I could."

She smiled at his answer. "What do you think it's going to be like, going back tomorrow?" she asked.

"You worried your head won't be in the game?" he asked and watched as she nodded in the affirmative. "It's hard, to pull yourself out of a life you've immersed yourself in for only a couple of days at home. But you can use this weekend to help ground you. Remind you why you're becoming another person, why you're out there doing what you're doing."

"So, it's my Moby Dick on tape?" she teased, never forgetting finding it the undercover apartment he lived in while trying to take down Anton Hill.

"The one you found after you tackled me and tried to kiss me?" he quipped.

She rolled over, her hair tickling his skin as she moved. Her face hovered over his. "Now I can kiss you all I want," she said before crushing her lips to his.

* * *

The ringing of his phone woke Sam from his peaceful sleep the next morning. Andy buried her face in a pillow as Sam grumbled while he grabbed for his phone off the bedside table. "Swarek."

"Sammy, thank god. I'm supposed to be catching a plane with my sister, but Frank's stuck at the station and I need someone to take Olivia," Noelle blurted out.

"Whoa, what? Noelle, what's going on?" Sam rapidly blinked trying to wake himself up.

"We need someone to watch Olivia, just for a few hours until Frank can get out. He was covering the night shift and got stuck supervising a case. And I have to head the airport _now_," she told him.

"What about Oliver?" It wasn't that Sam didn't like helping out friends, and he enjoyed sweet little Olivia, but the woman lying next to him in bed was his current priority. They had limited time left and he didn't want it burdened with babysitting.

"He's out of town for the weekend and Izzy's got some big school project. C'mon Sammy, I really need your help," Noelle begged.

Sam sighed and Andy could tell what was going on. She tapped his shoulder so he'd look over at her. She smiled at him and nodded, telling him to say yes. He raised his eyebrows in question, which got her mouthing 'it's ok' back.

"Okay, for a few hours. Bring her over," Sam told his friend.

"I'll be there in five. Thank you so much."

"When's she dropping Olivia off?" Andy asked when he tossed his phone on the table.

"Five minutes. You wanna stay in here?" he asked, getting out of bed and rummaging around for some clothes.

"Yeah, the less people who know I'm around, the better." It's not that she didn't want to see everyone, but Blackstone warned that she should keep a low profile so the fewer people who knew she was around the better.

"You sure you're okay with this?" he asked as he got dressed.

"Sam, I don't care what we do today as long as I can spend it with you. I'm fine."

He leaned down to press his lips to hers. They were interrupted when the doorbell rang. "Well, she's prompt," Andy said, chuckling.

Sam pulled back with a groan. "She owes me." Andy laughed as he walked out of the room to answer the door.

When Andy heard Noelle leave, she got up and threw one of Sam's sweatshirts on with her pajama bottoms. Walking into the kitchen, her face lit up at the sight she saw. Sam was holding Olivia, resting her against his hip as he used one hand to make coffee. The little girl giggled at something and Sam pressed a kiss to the top of her head. It made Andy's heart flutter as she thought about Sam with their own baby sometime in the future. Before that thought could scare her, she walked over to them.

"Morning baby girl," she said, taking the little girl's hand in hers.

"Noelle said she's already eaten, but there's bottles in the fridge if we need them," Sam said, as he watched Andy take Olivia from him. "You want pancakes?"

"You don't have to do that. We can do something easy, Sam," she replied, rocking Olivia in her arms.

"Would you eat pancakes if I made them?"

"Yes. You make the best pancakes."

"Okay, then. Pancakes it is."

Andy held Olivia, talking to her and making her giggle, while Sam made them breakfast. When it was ready, they put Olivia on the table in her carrier. Andy couldn't take her eyes off the adorable little girl.

"Never thought I'd see Sam Swarek babysitting," she said, looking over at him.

"What? I did my share of watching the Shaw girls before Izzy was old enough to watch her sisters," he replied.

"Oh, I forgot about _Uncle Sammy_. She kinda had you wrapped around her finger last year," Andy said, remembering when they'd caught Oliver's teenage daughter at a rave.

"If I remember correctly, _you're_ the one who begged me to help her, and then got us all in trouble with Shaw. I was buying his beer for a week at The Penny," he said, feigning exasperation.

"You took it all back at poker night," she replied. He just shook his head, knowing she was right, and tried to tamp down a grin at how cute she was when she teased him.

They finished breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen. They moved into the living room and Andy took Olivia out of her carrier and sat down on the couch.

Sam watched them for a moment, how happy they both were. "I'm gonna take a quick shower, okay?"

Andy bounced Olivia on her knee, smiling at every giggle that came out of the little girl's mouth. "We will be just fine, won't we Olivia? Yes, yes we will." She felt Sam staring at her, so she looked up. "Seriously, we'll be fine. I have cared for children before."

It wasn't that he doubted that at all; it was just, the image in front of him of Andy with a baby. Well, he was picturing her with their own child someday - a little girl or boy with big brown eyes, a mess of black hair and dimples. It was a wonderful punch to the heart.

"Yeah, of course, yeah. I'll, uh, I'll be back in a bit," he finally said when he got his breath back.

Andy looked up at him as he walked away, a little confused at what was going through his head, but quickly shook it off and brought her focus back to the adorable little girl in front of her.

"You're Uncle Sammy is the best, isn't he? Yeah, he is. I love him so much, Liv. He's it for me." Olivia was cooing and giggling as she chewed on a rattle as Andy talked. "If we can get through...all of this...If we can get through that, I think we can get through anything." She thought about all the roadblocks the universe had put in their way.

With everything they'd gone through, being here with Sam this weekend felt so completely right. She knew that once she got back for good they'd be able to have the life they both wanted so much, but couldn't provide each other, the first time around. They were going to make it work this time.

When Sam returned from his shower, he saw Andy on the floor lying next to Olivia, who was on her back, reaching up to this play thing that had small toys dangling down from it.

"As much as I like my sweatshirt on you, if you want to shower, I'll stay with Olivia," he said.

Andy stood up and walked over to Sam. Standing on her tiptoes she placed a sloppy kiss on his cheek. "I'll make it quick."

Sam noticed Olivia's eyes starting to close so he picked her up and held her to his chest as he sat down on the couch. She snuggled into him, a tiny fist curling around his shirt. He rubbed up and down her back gently.

"You had fun with Andy, didn't you? Isn't she great, Olivia?" he whispered soothingly. "She's beautiful. She has such a big heart. She's my world. Can't imagine life without her in it." He heard a tiny snore and laughed at himself. He was talking to a baby, who had no idea what he was saying, about the woman he loved. He'd lost it.

"I wish I could be this honest with her, let her know exactly what I was thinking." He really did wish she was in his head sometimes. But since she wasn't, he knew he had to try to vocalize his feelings more. They both had to communicate better for this to work.

When Andy returned from showering and changing, a grin took over her face at the sight of a sleeping Olivia on Sam. "How long has she been asleep?" she whispered, joining him on the couch.

"A little bit after you left. Maybe she just got bored with me and likes you better," he said.

"Nah, you make her feel comfortable." She curled into Sam's free side and laid her head on his shoulder. "Make us all feel comfortable." Sam rested his hand on Andy's knee, his thumb rubbing soothing circles.

They stayed like that for a while, talking in hushed tones, until Olivia woke up. After a few minutes of playing with her, Olivia started to scream. The high-pitched wail had Sam's eyes going wide and wondering what to do. Andy picked the little girl up and held her close to her body, rocking her.

"I think she's hungry," Andy said. "Can you warm up a bottle?"

Sam just stood there, watching in awe how calm Andy was as the little girl cried in her arms. It was the third time Andy called his name that had him snapping back to reality. "Sam? You want to take her while I warm up the bottle?"

"No, no, I'll do it," he said, retreating to the kitchen.

"I think you scared your Uncle Sammy, Olivia," Andy whispered. She rubbed the little girl's tummy trying to soothe her until Sam came back with her bottle.

Sam was quick, knew exactly what he was doing to warm the bottle, and came back in minutes. He handed it over to Andy's outstretched hand and watched her bring it to Olivia's lips. The baby wrapped her mouth around it hungrily and silence filled the air again.

"See, crisis averted," she said.

Sam sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "What do you mean?"

"You looked petrified when she started screaming," she said, a small chuckle escaping.

"It's just...I didn't know...how could you tell she was hungry?" he asked. He knew Olivia had needed something, but whether she was still tired or needed to be changed or hungry or missed her parents, Sam couldn't tell. But Andy, she knew instantly.

"Well, the last time she ate was before Noelle dropped her off. She had just woken up from a nap. She could've needed a diaper change, but I went with my gut," she explained.

He leaned into her, kissing her temple. "You're good."

"Can't live without me." It came out of her mouth as a joke, but for Sam it couldn't be closer to the truth.

They kept Olivia occupied for another two hours before Frank called Sam, letting him know he was on his way.

Andy helped Sam get all of Olivia's stuff packed up and headed to the bedroom to hide when the doorbell rang. After helping Frank out to his car with Olivia and all her stuff, Sam walked into his bedroom to find Andy sprawled across his bed. "It's safe to come out," he teased.

"Your bed is very comfy."

"Yeah? Thought you always liked your bed best," he said, resting a knee between her legs and slowly crawling on top of her.

"I don't remember my bed. Just the lumpy one in the UC apartment and the crappy couch," she said frowning.

"Couch?" He was hovering over her now as she stared up at him.

"We alternate, so I get the couch half the time."

Sam couldn't help that his lips curved into a smile when he heard she wasn't sharing a bed with Nick. He knew even if she did, it was innocent, but he couldn't be happier she wasn't.

"Well, guess you should take advantage of my comfy bed." He bounced a bit to make the mattress move beneath them, causing Andy to giggle.

"One condition," she said. When Sam's eyebrows went up in question she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him flush against her. "You're here with me."

He flipped them over so she was lying on top of him and she tucked her face into the crook of his neck. She was going to miss this, miss him, so much. She closed her eyes and inhaled, wanting to savor the scent that was pure Sam.

"We have some time before I need to make dinner. What do you want to do?" he asked, playing with her hair as he brushed it off her shoulder.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Just wanna lie here with you," she said, playing with the hem of his t-shirt.

He rubbed his hands up and down her back comfortingly. "Whatever you want."

"What's gonna happen when I come home?" she asked, suddenly nervous they would take several steps back again when she left.

"What do you mean?" he asked, not sure where this was coming from.

"With us. Will we be okay? I don't even know how long I'm going to be gone. What - "

"Andy," he interrupted. "We're going to start with a drink at The Penny when you get back." They both knew the significance that would hold. "Then I'm taking you out for a proper date."

"We'll celebrate your promotion and me being back," she added, feeling more confident by his response.

"We'll be fine."

She lifted her head so she could look down at him. "I know. Cause you'll always be there."

He opened his mouth to speak, but Andy prevented that when she crushed her lips down on his. She didn't want to talk anymore; she wanted to savor this, him, them. She wanted to give herself something to remember on the darkest of days once she was back under.

She tugged his shirt over his head and brought her mouth back to his. His hands found the hem of her shirt, removing it quickly. When her lips found him again, they nipped and kissed down his jaw and neck. She trailed her fingers across his collarbone and down to his chest, her lips following close behind. "I wanna remember every inch of you, commit it to memory," she whispered.

They spent hours memorizing every inch of one another, from head to toe, leaving nothing untouched, uncaressed or unkissed.

When they resurfaced from his bedroom hours later, he insisted on cooking her dinner again instead of ordering takeout. As they devoured the baked ziti casserole he made, they were quieter than the night before. Both knew their time together was dwindling and she'd soon have to say goodbye.

After dinner they cuddled on the couch. They talked about mundane things, avoiding the heavy conversations that would circle back to the fact Andy had to leave in a few hours. Eventually, glancing at the clock, Andy knew it was time to get ready to leave.

Not wanting to be away from her for a second, Sam sat on his bed watching her pack her clothes. He remained silent when she grabbed one of his t-shirts and stuffed it into her duffle bag. She wanted to pack Sam into her bag and take him with her. She didn't know how to say goodbye to him now. She enjoyed the undercover assignment and wanted to finish it out, but it was harder to leave Sam behind now that she knew for sure they had a future.

She zipped up her bag and turned to face him as he stood up next to her. "It's time," she said, her voice cracking with emotion.

"You gotta go." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

Her arms circled his body as she laid her head against his shoulder. "I wish you were coming with me."

"You can do this. You're a great cop, Andy. Don't forget that when you have to become someone else. That's still deep inside," he told her.

"Thank you for understanding why I have to do this, why I left," she said. "I want...You need to know I'm doing this for the cop in me, but I...I love you, Sam. I wish I could do this _and_ stay."

"I know, I know," he said. "I'm only a phone call away if you run into trouble. I'll always be here for you."

"You're always there when it matters." She framed his face in her hands and pulled him close. She let her lips dance over his briefly before the kiss became passionate.

They held each other close, lips fused together as if sealing the weekend with a promise. When Andy pulled back breathless, her lips curved into a sad smile. "I gotta go," she said, her voice lower than a whisper.

He took her hand in his, while his other grabbed her bag, and they made their way out to his truck. It was a quiet ride to the bus stop where she would meet Blackstone. They both got out of the truck when he pulled it up to a stop next to the curb. He walked around the truck and placed his hands on the hood, trapping her between him and the vehicle.

"I'll wrap it up as fast as I can," she promised, her hand resting on his chest.

"Just be safe. Come back in one piece," he told her.

She took a deep breath as they stared at each other. She didn't want to say goodbye; the word felt too final. "I'm gonna miss you."

He leaned in, pressed his lips to hers briefly. "Gonna miss you too."

He reached into his truck and pulled out her bag, handing it over to her as she pushed away from the truck. With one last look, she turned around and walked over to the bench at the bus stop. He got back in the truck and drove to the corner, wanting to watch over her until her ride showed up.

It was only a matter of minutes until a beat-up old car pulled up in front of her. He saw her smile and nod before getting in the car. He watched it drive off before heading back to his apartment, alone.

* * *

_Two months, three weeks, four days and 14 hours later (not that Sam was counting)_

"Who are you calling?" Nick asked Andy when they'd found an empty room to hide in temporarily.

"I don't know, I just - Sam, I'm calling Sam." She'd been about to lie, say she just dialed any number she could think of, but that wasn't true. She picked up the phone with one person in mind.

"What the hell are you doing calling Swarek? You should've called Blackstone," he replied, furious.

"Blackstone got us into this mess. Sam...he'll know what to do….And you don't, you don't get to tell me what to do after you put a gun to my head!" She whisper screamed at him, so angry with what he'd done to her minutes earlier.

Holding the phone to her ear, it rang twice before his voice rang through her ears and she wanted to cry with relief. "Sam?"

"McNally?" He stopped dead in his tracks at the sound of her voice. She was alive.

"Yeah, it's me."

"Where are you?"

She breathed out a sigh of relief, his voice immediately comforting her. Not paying attention to the actual words that came out, she didn't truly hear his question. "I'm fine, thank you," she replied.

"No, _where_ are you?" If the situation weren't so severe, he would've laughed at her response. But all he could focus on now was finding her.

She shook her head to get past the fact it'd been nearly three months since she'd heard his voice. "Oh, uh, we're uh...I don't know. It just looks like some, uh, trucking warehouse. Look, we could really use some backup," she said. She closed her eyes, trying to think of any details that might help him find her - find them. "Um, there's a logo I saw on one of the trucks. It said BTI inside of a red circle."

The sounds of men barging through doors began getting closer. "We gotta go," Nick whispered.

"We gotta go. I gotta go," Andy said hurriedly before dropping the phone and following Nick as they tried to find a way out.

It wasn't long until Andy heard Sam's voice calling her name through the door of the truck she and Nick had hid in. "McNally? Are you in there? Open the door."

She pulled up the door and the moment she set her eyes on Sam, the rest of the world didn't exist. Nick wasn't standing next to her, dozens of other cops weren't running around the warehouse behind him. It was her and Sam.

"Hi," she breathed out.

Sam raked his eyes over her body, needing to see for himself she wasn't injured. "Hi. How was your trip?"

"Good." She knew he'd see right through that, but for now, it's the only word she could muster. Later she could tell him everything that happened. How she had a gun to her head today and her partner pulled the trigger. How she thought she'd never see Sam again.

"How are you?" he asked. She looked good, all things considered. A little thinner than the last time he saw her, dark circles under her eyes showing how exhausted she was, but still as beautiful as ever in his eyes.

"Great. It's good to see you." She couldn't wait any longer. She threw herself at him, wrapped her arms around his neck as she nearly tackled him to the ground. He stumbled back as his arms immediately circled her waist and held her against him.

"Glad to have you back," he whispered as her face was a mere inch from his.

"Me too."

They stared into each other's eyes, both waiting for the other to make a move. It was Sam who acted first, not able to wait another moment. He crushed his lips to hers and felt her whole body relax in his arms. Andy held the back of his head to keep his lips attached to hers as she feverishly explored his mouth.

They ignored the uncomfortable clearing of Nick's throat just feet away, knowing eventually he'd get the hint and walk away. They weren't letting _anyone_ interrupt this moment.

Sam's one hand stayed on the small of her back, keeping their bodies pressed against each other. His other caressed the side of her face as he fed hungrily on her.

Andy was panting heavily when they finally parted. She blushed a little, realizing how public their affection was, but she didn't care. She was back and Sam was here. "Thank you for finding me," she said softly.

"I'll always find you, McNally." He grinned down at her as she tucked herself into his side and they headed to another part of the warehouse where the rest of their colleagues were. "You can't get away from me."

* * *

The End.


End file.
